The background of the invention will be discussed in two parts:
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to water conditioning apparatus for preventing scale formation on the interior of conduits through which fluid, such as water, flows, and more particularly to a housing having a unitary turbulence creating member therein for placing in fluid flow relation with a fluid flow system for promoting turbulence a fluid passing therethrough.
2. Description of Prior Art
With fluid, such as water, flowing through conduits, such as pipes, there is a tendency for formation of deposits and scale on the interior of the conduit, which decreases the opening through which the fluid passes, and additionally promotes deterioration of the interior conduit. This is particularly true in water systems, where the source of the water is a municipal water supply which contains a number of elements such as lime and calcium deposits, along with iron and other such material. A number of devices and apparatus have been developed to provide some form of fluid stabilization or conditioning with the device "in-line" with the fluid flow. One such device is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,448,034, entitled "Fluid Stabilizer" issued Jun. 3, 1969 to Craft et al. The apparatus of this patent is directed to a rod or core adapted to be enclosed within a flow tube, the rod being composed of a plurality of crystalline nonferrous metals having a polarizing effect on the liquids.
Another such device is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,486,999, entitled "Apparatus for Preventing Scale Formation in Water Systems", issued Dec. 30, 1969 to Craft, the system incorporating an anodic core of self-sacrificing crystalline material which decomposes over a long period of time while setting up polarization of the water, while eliminating the precipitation of salts therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,015, entitled "System Stabilizer", issued Sep. 10, 1974 to Gary shows another device, which is a fluid stabilizing rod of a specific metallurgical composition and configuration, the rod being generally triangular in cross-section. A modification of this device is shown in a continuation-in-part application, issuing into U.S. Pat. No. 3,919,068 on Nov. 11, 1975 to Gary, the rod in this patent being formed by three elongated generally planar members held in triangular relation within the conduit.
Another such device is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3 974,071 entitled "Water Conditioning Device", issued Aug. 10, 1976 to Dunn et al, the device of this patent being a spirally twisted strip of corrosion and lime scale inhibiting copper-nickel alloy contained within a cylindrical casing for churning water as it passes through the casing for more complete contact of the water with the surfaces of the strip.
Such prior art devices rely heavily on the composition of the rod or device "in-line" with fluid flow, with some devices being reactive with the fluid, and others non-reactive.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved water conditioning apparatus for preventing scale formation and inhibiting growth of fungus and algae.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved water conditioning apparatus for promoting turbulence of fluid passing therethrough for preventing scale formation inhibiting growth of fungus and algae.
It is further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved water conditioning device for placing in-line with the fluid delivery system and having a housing with an inner chamber with a surface with rib means and an insert formed as a unitary member and using a venturi effect to promote turbulence in fluid passing therethrough to thereby rearrange the molecular structure of particles in suspension and wherein nothing is added or removed from the fluid and there is no loss in pressure on either end of the member.